THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC) is a dedicated Legal Advocacy wing of All India Council of Human Rights, Liberties and Social Justice - AICHLS) provides legal representation to low-income people in India. We are a non-profit legal aid clinic that specializes in protecting the rights of those facing conflicts with the legal system, education, social service or mental health systems , human rights, liberties & social justice. We give summary legal advice, information and assistance in cases of matrimonial disputes, child abuse, workmen issues, motor vehicle compensation, domestic violence, discrimination, trafficking and other day-to-day legalities of the community.

Vision & Goals:

Provide affordable legal services to support and empower disadvantaged section of the society

To advance education and to relive need of the general public by means of providing facilities for free legal advice/ suggestions and assistance to those persons who are poor and disadvantaged.

To co-operates and collaborates with voluntary bodies and authorities operating in the similar nature o charitable fields and exchange information and advice.

To fights against social injustice, inhuman, illegal and anti-social activities.

To arrange and provide for or join in arranging and providing for holding of exhibitions, meeting, lectures, discussions or seminars or participate in the process of legal reform, training courses or manage law schools or colleges, libraries or arranging small claims’ courts, courts or moot courts for the benefit of the public and poor class.

To publish or cause to be published useful books, magazines, law journals towards raising any funds for the purpose of the law centre.

To protect the interest of the poor and disabled people.

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide hope, secure justice, and support to disadvantaged section of society because of sex, class, religion, age, sexual orientation, ethnic identity, etc., across India.

Legal Aid

THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC) offers quick-response, low-cost and pro-bono legal aid to those who would otherwise not have access to the Indian justice system due to socio-economic barriers. Our work involves a judicious mix of litigation– the Labour Courts, the Family Courts, the Criminal Courts – along with cases in the High Courts and the Supreme Court of India. We undertake routine individual litigation as such cases often lead to setting precedents in Indian law. Individual litigation is also a process by which lawyers remain in touch with the ground realities faced by millions in need of support. Over the years, NLC has successfully provided legal aid to thousands of individuals across the country.

Legal Counseling and Legal Help lines

THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC) has established help lines and legal aid clinics across the country that provide legal advice and regular legal counseling, in person or via the telephone. Occasionally, a client’s problems are resolved at this stage, however, in many instances, THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC) advocates support the client as they proceed to file a case in court. Therefore, THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC) advocates support victims from the very beginning, to the point of gaining final orders in a case, and beyond.

Public Interest Litigation (PIL)

PIL is a unique and progressive aspect of the Indian judicial system. Developed in the 1980s by an activist judiciary, it loosened the traditional approach towards standing to sue and the gathering of evidence in certain circumstances, and made possible class action litigation on behalf of the poor. Any person acting bonafide could file a petition in the High Courts and Supreme Court for the enforcement of the fundamental rights of the poor. The Court could even act suo-moto (on it’s own without a petition being filed). The proceedings were termed non-adversarial, as it was the duty of the state to enforce fundamental rights.

THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC) files PILs in both high courts and the Supreme Court of India. We found that interventions at the level of the Supreme Court are capable of making unprecedented changes in retrogressive State policies – thereby bringing relief to millions. THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC) has successfully used public interest litigation to bring relief to large segments of the population.

Training, Consultations, and Judicial Colloquia

THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC) takes legal education as a mission. THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC) lawyers and activists conduct legal workshops and seminars, which are designed to promote an understanding of laws and the working of the legal system; equip individuals and organizations to access the justice system; and discuss effective strategies to prevent violations. These programmes are organized for students, lawyers, activists, government officials, and the police amongst others. We also organize judicial colloquia to update the judiciary on the latest development in human rights and international law, and expose judges to issues that are faced by people who don’t have access to the legal system.

Campaigning

There is a direct link between THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC)’S public interest petitions and its campaigns. The latter creates awareness about issues, facilitates the dissemination of orders passed by the courts, and makes the change-process participatory. This approach sends a message to the judiciary that society is concerned about the outcomes of the cases; therefore it must be responsive to society’s needs. Campaigns form a consultative process through which civil society monitors the progress of a case and the performance of lawyers – providing crucial information and support. The dynamic interplay between campaigns promotes transparency and accountability both in and outside the court.

Advocacy

THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC) is a strong advocate for laws and policies that promote and defend human rights. An important part of our work also involves advocacy against legislation that undermine human rights. In crucial areas where legislation is lacking or requires amendments, THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC) has pioneered efforts to formulate laws and policies. Our advocacy has provoked countrywide debates on issues from a people’s perspective, which have sensitized the government, judiciary, and the general public.

Solidarity and movement building

Working in solidarity across units, partner organizations, sectors, states and countries is core to the success of THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC)’s work. Working and exchanging information with different human rights movements across the country and abroad enriches our collective corpus of knowledge—thereby opening up possibilities of further legal aid and collective action. THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC) is shoulder-to- shoulder with national and international initiatives for peace, rule of law and democracy.

Fact-finding, Crisis Response, and Monitoring

THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC), in collaboration with local groups, sends out investigative fact-finding teams on the basis of newspaper reports or upon the receipt of information, to visit the area and talk to people that are facing discrimination or whose rights have been violated. In many instances, we file cases on the basis of evidence collected through such fact findings. In response to crisis situations such as natural disasters; atrocities against Dalits; communal conflicts; displacement; starvation deaths; farmer suicides, etc., THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC) sets up legal aid teams in affected areas that assist affected populations and hold the government responsible for effective crisis response.

THE NATIONAL LEGAL COUNCIL (NLC) also undertakes monitoring and evaluation of government schemes and policies, and routinely files cases in situations where people are denied their rights.

Training & Support

Provide training programs for lawyers, law students, legal and para-legal professionals on various topics.

They truly do care about the issues facing law students , and getting the right information to us so that we as students can use that to gain confidence. Always willing to lend a hand or teach a newbie. Maybe the best thing about my membership is being able to count them among friends.

Membership is open to Indian Citizens, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), and like-minded Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), and institutions committed to the core values of NLC

Such NGOs and institutions must not have anything in their Constitutions/Aims and Objects in conflict with the Aims and Objects of All India Council of Human Rights, Liberties and Social Justice (AICHLS) as given in the Memorandum of Association.

Individuals must be at least 18 years of age with academic, professional, commercial, administrative, social and/or development experience. (Please download the from www.humanrightscouncil.in )